Image credit: The Seattle Times
Movies based on books often make people want to read the original stories. This feeling gets stronger during the Academy Awards when films get extra attention. Before the 2024 Oscars, three books turned into nominated movies in 2023. Each of these books adds its special flavour to the film.
Poor Things
First on this list is ”Poor Things”, a book by Scottish writer Alasdair Gray that won the Whitbread Award in 1992. The movie, featuring Emma Stone and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, differs in location. However, it keeps the wild and daring vibe of the original story, often called a feminist version of “Frankenstein.”
The book and the movie follow Bella Baxter (played by Emma Stone) and her suitor, Duncan Wedderburn (played by Mark Ruffalo). Bella, reanimated with her unborn child’s brain, leads a lively and unconventional life. This notion is challenging social norms with her playful and adventurous spirit.
Gray’s book mixes experimentation and quirkiness, using letters, diaries, and medical drawings. The bold and cheeky vibe of the novel shines through in the movie. It is slipping into the characters and themes intriguingly. Moreover, it has a surprising ending full of twists!
Erasure
Percival Everett gains new fans with the film adaptation of his 2001 novel “Erasure,” titled “American Fiction.” This is the second in the list to gain fame. It is famous for its witty satire and sharp observations. This wonderful novel bravely confronts racism in various forms, drawing attention from a wider audience.
Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, portrayed by Jeffrey Wright, is criticized for not being “Black” enough in academia. He wrote a bestselling book that he supposedly disliked. However, he was surprised by the profitable publishing deal and movie offer it brought.
In “American Fiction,” Monk explores themes from “Erasure” well but doesn’t go deep into his book written as Staff R. Leigh, which is fully included. Monk reflects on the Erasure of the Black Experience, criticises mainstream culture or promotes certain stories. Additionally, they ignore others and shed light on important issues.
Nimona
The third amazing book to be selected is ND Stevenson’s graphic novel Nimona, released in 2015, adapted from their webcomic. It follows the adventures of Nimona, a bold shape-shifter eager to assist villains in their mischievous schemes.
Netflix released the movie version in 2023, which is up for the Best Animated Feature award. Ballister Blackheart, now Boldheart, seeks redemption. Meanwhile, Nimona, with a love for mischief, pulls him into her wild revenge scheme, creating a quirky adventure.
The animated film boosts the comic’s humour and emotion, while the original book reveals deeper insights. Praised for its transgender representation and touching gay love story, “Nimona” shows that heroines can be bold and compelling. This proves that heroines can be strong and don’t always need to be fragile to win a fan following.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.